Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-03-10
The Partner.

lane, Lombard street 1t was nelthe
very responsible nor very lucrativ
position, and Tommy (as all his friend
called him) longed, as perhaps 5000
young men in a similar situation il
London are longing at this moment
for chance of turning his brains t.
better account than adding up columns
of figures and copying entries from ont
big book into another. The chance die
not come. but Tommy did not despair
and there was this difference between
him and the great majority of his fel'
low prisoners at the desk-he had the
pluck to work away manfully at what,
ever he thought might possibly some
day help h m to better his position. even
though he could not see exactly how il
was to be done.
With this end in view he got up
French, German and Italian; and he did
everything he could to pick up infor-
nation as to the financial circumstances
of the customers of the bank. He
scraped acquaintance with every clerk
employed BY those who had accounts at
the bank, as he possibly could, and
picked up in time an idea, more or less
accurate, as to the commercial status
of most of them.
One day he happened to be at lunch
in his favorite restaurant, when an ac-
quaintance named Darling came in and
sat down beside him. After little
casual conversation, Darling asked him
to let him know of any vacant clerk
ship he might hear of.
II will, certainly. cd fellow" re-
turned Tommy; "but hope you haven't
got into a row with Appleton" Erred
erick Appleton was Darling's brother
in-law, and he was also Secretary of
the Mudford and County Chem cal
Company. in whose contingencies
young Darling had subordinate post
"Oh, no, nothing of the kind" re-
turned Darling; and then he changed
the subject.
On his way back to the bank after
lunch, Mathers asked himself why Oar
ling should leave his present situation,
He had Il capital prospect there-his
brotherin-law being the secretary; and
there was no disagreement between
him and his influential relative. Could
it be that Darling hal had hint from
his brother-n-law that the Chemical
Company was getting into shallow
water, and that it Dehooved him to be
looking out for another situation? 1t
seemed more than likely and young
Mathers determined to act at once.
He slipped into the bank parlor that
afternoon, hoping to find the junior
partner, Mr.. Parr, good natured sort
of man, who was not likely to snubb
him for volunteering information. To
his disappointment, he found only Mr..
HodgsOn, sour-tcmpered old man,
who was struggling into rs overcoat,
preparatory to leaving the office for
the day.
WELL" growled the banker, what
do you want?'
Tommy was on the point of saying
that he had come to speak to Mr.. Parr,
but in a moment he had changed his
mind.
Il heard something to-day, SIR"
he replied, "that made me think that
the Mudford Company are not in a
very good way
well, what of that? what's that to
mc?"
Nothing, SIR; only l thought there
was no harm in letting you know
'Anything of that KIND you can say
to Mr.. Parkinson answered the old
gentleman, as he seized his umbrella
and waddled down the passage.
Tommy felt snubbed; but he did not
mind that much. He had done what
he wanted-brought himself under the
personal notice OF one of the partners.
If he had given the hint to Parkinson,
the head cashier, Parkinson, not he,
would have had all the credit of it.
He retired to his place among the
other. clerks little sOre at the rebuff,
yet not entirely tsatisfcd.
On his way home Mr.. Hodgson re-
mcmbered that the bank held some
shares of the MudfOrd Chemical Com
pany as security for the balance of the
8 g H.
was deemed rather shaky. Next morn
mg, accordingly, he called Tommy into
his room and questioned him as to the
nature of h S information.
perhaps you will excuse my enter
ing into that. SIR" said Tommy, with
the utmost GOODNESS.
Mr.. Hodgson dismissed Mathers to
his work with Il dissatisfied grunt and
wave of his hand, and Immediately set
to work to have the shares of the Mud
fore Company exchanged for other Sc
curities.
Tommy. who managed to know most
of what happened at the bank, noted
the fact and rejo ced.
Within SIX weeks the shareholders of
the Mudford Chemical Company met
and resolved to go into liquidation; and
though Mr.. Hodgson did not think it
worth while to thank the junior clerk
for the information he had given, Tom
my was perfectly satisfied. He knew
that people do not forget things which
save their pockets.
1t happened that. some months after
the incident of the Mudford Chemical
Company, Messrs. Hodgson had i'm
portant business to transact in Turin,
and it was thought advisable that the
senior partner should proceed to that
city to look after it. There was some
idea, if the prospect seemed favorable,
Of starting Il branch house there. The
question then arose. which of the clerks
should accompany the head of the firm
as his secretary; and Mr.. Hodgson.
mindful of the service which Mathers
had rendered him, consulted the head
cashier on the propriety of the selec,
n